Cold Weather Impacts EV Battery Performance and Charging Times

Preconditioning and Heat Pumps Can Help Mitigate Effects, Say Experts

Electric vehicles (EVs) can lose up to 30% of their range in freezing temperatures, with the loss of power linked to the slower flow of lithium ions in the battery due to the cold.
Preconditioning, or preheating the battery, can help mitigate the effects of cold weather on EVs, allowing for more efficient charging and usage.
EVs can take longer to charge in cold weather as most are designed to boost their battery temperatures when the thermometer drops, which can result in a doubling or even tripling of charging time in some older models.
Heat pumps, which draw warmth from outside and run it through a condenser to raise the temperature, can help preserve range when it's cold and are standard in some EV models and optional in others.
Despite the challenges, experts note that most drivers on a typical day aren't driving anywhere near the top of their vehicle's range, which for most is between 400 and 500 kilometres on a full charge.